Year One, November 27

God Reigns Over the Nations1

2 Chronicles 20:20-30

20And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

“Give thanks to the LORD,

for his steadfast love endures forever.”

They marched in faith, they sang in faith and they prepared in faith. Oh that we could meet our daily trials in the same way. We would then experience great deliverances from the Lord and praise him even more.

22And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. (The people sang more or less all the way. They sang as they got started, but when they got close to the enemy they sang louder and louder. Then the Lord began to work. The Lord threw the various nations into confusion and they began to fight against one another.) 23For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

24When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. (They marched with hallelujahs and were more than conquerors. They did not need to strike a blow. Let us as a family make up a hallelujah band and continually magnify the Lord.2) 25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. (Faith wins even more than she expects, a blessing that she does not have enough room to receive.)

26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah (or Valley of Blessing), for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the LORD. (Those who praise before the blessing are sure to praise afterwards. What a glorious hymn of praise they sang before the Lord.)

29And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

We will now read the Psalm that was very likely sung by the people on their triumphant return to the temple.

  

Psalm 47

1 Clap your hands, all peoples!

Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

2 For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,

a great king over all the earth.

3 He subdued peoples under us,

and nations under our feet.

4 He chose our heritage for us,

the pride of Jacob whom he loves.     Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,

the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King of all the earth;

sing praises with a psalm!

8 God reigns over the nations;

God sits on his holy throne.

9 The princes of the peoples gather

as the people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God;

he is highly exalted!

The Lord Jesus will come again a second time after he overcomes all his enemies and ours, and we will rejoice in words like these. We may sing to the Lord even now, because he has already won a glorious victory. His own right hand and his holy arm have already succeeded.

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¹ Psalm 47:8

² Psalm 34:3, “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!”